Some ministers can administer public schools and other educational institutions (for further details, see the end of the section on administration and governance at national level below).

As a result of the state administration reform and the education reform, the national educational policy is developed and implemented centrally, whereas the management of education and the administration of schools, nursery schools and other educational institutions are decentralised. The responsibility for the administration of nursery schools (przedszkole) and primary schools (szkoła podstawowa) has been delegated to the communes (gmina). The administration of post-primary schools, art schools and special schools has been delegated to districts (powiat) as their statutory responsibility. The self-governing provinces (województwo) administer only schools operating at regional and supra-regional levels. The Heads of the Regional Education Authorities (kurator oświaty) in 16 provinces are responsible for pedagogical supervision of educational institutions.

Education administration at national level

School education

The minister in charge of school education (Minister of Education as since 1 January 2024 the Ministry of Education and Science has been divided into the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education) and deputy ministers are responsible for the administration of the school education system. The Director General is responsible for efficient functioning of the ministry as the institution supporting the minister.

The structure of the Ministry of National Education comprises the Minister's Office, the Minister’s Policy Cabinet, the Office of the Director General, and 12 other organisational units: departments, each with divisions, which are responsible for specific aspects of the national education policy. Currently, the departments of the Ministry include:

• Budget and Finance Department

• Department for Structural Funds

• Inspection and Audit Department

• Legal Department

• International Cooperation Department

• Education and Prevention Department

• Inclusive Education Department

• Communication Department

• General Education Department

• Vocational Education Department

• Department for Cooperation with Local Government

• Innovation and Development Department

Responsibilities and powers of the minister in charge of school education 

The minister co-ordinates and implements the national education policy, and co-operates in this respect with regional authorities / province governors (wojewoda) and other organisational units responsible for the school education system.

The minister lays down, by regulation, arrangements, in particular, in the following areas:

• Contents of the general and vocational education and textbooks: 

  • core curricula for preschool education, general education and vocational education, and outline timetables;

  • classification of occupations for vocational education;

  • arrangements for schools and other educational institutions to undertake activities which aim to maintain national, ethnical, language and religious identity of pupils;

  • arrangements for teaching religion in schools;

  • rules for approving textbooks for use at schools:

  • procedures for providing local authorities with information required to determine the level of subsidy for the purchase of textbooks by heads of primary schools.

• Pupil assessment: 

  • detailed rules for the assessment and promotion of pupils in public schools;

  • detailed arrangements for the conduct of external exams (the eighth-grader exam, the maturity exam and vocational exams);

  • arrangements for the conduct of extramural exams;

  • arrangements for the issue of certificates, diplomas and other school documents and templates for them;

  • establishment of regional examination boards and specification of their territorial jurisdiction.

• Admission to public schools and other educational institutions:

  • composition and tasks of an admissions board, rules and dates of the admission process;

  • rules for converting criteria into points for admission to public schools if the number of candidates exceeds the number of places available in such schools;

  • procedure of transferring pupils from one type of public school to another.

• Governance and organisation of institutions within the school education system:

  • requirements for measures that schools and other educational institutions should take to create optimal conditions for education and care and other statutory activities and for the development of each pupil, and to improve the quality of the school’s or institution’s activities and its organisational development;

  • arrangements for the competition for the position of the Head of the Regional Education Authorities (kurator oświaty);

  • requirements for the position of school head and other management positions, and arrangements for the competition for the position of school head;

  • types of schools and institutions where the teachers’ council, the parents’ council and/or the pupils’ self-government are not established;

  • organisational arrangements for practical vocational training;

  • framework statutes for public schools and other public educational institutions;

  • methods for keeping records relating to the teaching process and educational activities;

  • rules and conditions for innovation and experimental activities;

  • organisational arrangements for the school year;

  • organisational arrangements and procedures for contests and competitions in specific school subjects;

  • general safety and hygiene regulations for schools and institutions.

• Pedagogical supervision:

  • arrangements for pedagogical supervision, including its forms;

  • a list of positions and qualifications required to exercise pedagogical supervision.

• Pre-school education:

  • alternative preschool education settings;

  • procedures for subsidising preschool education and related grant accounting methods.

• Continuing education:

  • types of public continuing education institutions and their tasks;

  • arrangements for adult education and training;

  • arrangements for the provision of vocational qualification courses;

  • methods for the validation of learning outcomes achieved in non-school settings;

  • conditions for granting and withdrawing accreditation for institutions providing adult education and training in non-school settings.

• Initial and in-service teacher training:

  • conditions and procedures for granting and withdrawing accreditation for non-public in-service teacher training institutions;

  • conditions and procedures for the establishment, restructuring and liquidation of in-service teacher training institutions, and organisational and operational arrangements for such institutions.

• Additional classes and activities, care, counselling and guidance for pupils with special educational needs, and measures to address such needs:

  • organisational arrangements for public education-and-care centres for pupils with disabilities and maladjusted youth;

  • arrangements for counselling and guidance in schools and other educational institutions, and organisational arrangements for public counselling and guidance centres;

  • detailed arrangements for children and young people to follow individualised schooling and individualised learning programmes and related organisational arrangements;

  • detailed arrangements for the education and care for children and young people with special educational needs;

  • arrangements for providing early childhood development support;

  • timeframes for transferring to the communes grants for financial support for pupils and methods for calculating their level;

  • conditions for the organisation of leisure activities for children and young people;

  • rules and conditions for the organisation of tourist and sightseeing activities undertaken by schools and other educational institutions;

  • detailed arrangements for sports classes and schools and sports championship schools.

• Matters related to education abroad and education for non-nationals:

  • conditions and procedures for the admission of non-nationals and Polish nationals who completed previous education stages in other education systems to public nursery schools, schools, teacher training institutions and to vocational qualification courses;

  • arrangements for additional Polish language classes, remedial classes in subjects covered by the curriculum, and classes in the language and culture of the country of origin;

  • levels of grants for beneficiaries who are not Polish nationals;

  • rules for the provision of education to Polish nationals’ children temporarily staying abroad;

  • arrangements supporting the teaching of Polish history, geography, culture and the Polish language and other school subjects with Polish as a language of instruction to the Polish diaspora in schools abroad and in other forms of education provided by civic organisations abroad;

  • arrangements for the recognition (nostrification) of school and maturity certificates awarded abroad;

  • conditions for sending pupils abroad for educational purposes and teachers for in-service training purposes.

The minister responsible for school education (Minister of Education) establishes and administers so-called Polish schools (schools at diplomatic missions, consulates and military missions of the Republic of Poland) and public in-service teacher training institutions operating at national level. The minister can also establish and administer public experimental schools and public continuing education institutions operating at national level, as well as schools and school clusters in Poland and at diplomatic missions, consulates and military missions of the Republic of Poland which: (a) provide education to children of Polish nationals temporarily living abroad, based on the core curriculum for general education as established by Polish legislation; or (b) provide to pupils attending schools within the education system of other countries supplementary education programmes at the primary and secondary school levels, based on the curriculum framework for supplementary education and timetables established for Polish schools.

The minister responsible for culture and protection of national heritage (Minister of Culture and National Heritage) establishes and administers public art schools and other institutions for pupils of art schools, as well as institutions for in-service training of art-school teachers. In consultation with the minister responsible for school education, the minister issues regulations on the organisation of art education and the functioning of art schools.

The minister responsible for agriculture (Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development) may establish and administer public schools of agriculture; agricultural institutions operating at regional and supra-regional levels; public in-service teacher training institutions for teachers of vocational subjects taught in schools of agriculture; and public sectoral skills centres. Such sectoral skills centres carry out activities in the vocational areas (listed in the relevant regulations) to which the Classification of Occupations for Vocational Education assigns at least one occupation that falls within the remit of the minister responsible for agriculture. 

The minister responsible for natural environment (Minister of Climate and Environment) may establish and administer public forestry schools and public sectoral skills centres. Such sectoral skills centres carry out activities in the vocational areas (listed in the relevant regulations) to which the Classification of Occupations for Vocational Education assigns at least one occupation that falls within the remit of the minister responsible for environmental matters. 

The minister responsible for maritime economy (Minister of Infrastructure) may establish and administer public maritime schools and public sectoral skills centres. Such sectoral skills centres carry out activities in the vocational areas (listed in the relevant regulations) to which the Classification of Occupations for Vocational Education assigns at least one occupation that falls within the remit of the minister responsible for maritime economy. 

The minister responsible for inland waterway transport (Minister of Infrastructure) may establish and administer public schools of inland waterway transport and public sectoral skills centres. Such sectoral skills centres carry out activities in the vocational areas (listed in the relevant regulations) to which the Classification of Occupations for Vocational Education assigns at least one occupation that falls within the remit of the minister responsible for inland water transport.

The minister responsible for fishery (Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development) may establish and administer public fishery schools and public sectoral skills centres. Such sectoral skills centres carry out activities in the vocational areas (listed in the relevant regulations) to which the Classification of Occupations for Vocational Education assigns at least one occupation that falls within the remit of the minister responsible for fishery.

The minister responsible for health (Minister of Health) may establish and administer a public national-level in-service teacher training institution for teachers of vocational subjects taught as part of the training for the occupations that fall within the remit of the minister according to the Classification of Occupations for Vocational Education.

The Minister of Justice may establish and administer public schools and institutions within district education centres, youth detention centres and hostels for underage young people and public schools and institutions, except for sectoral skills centres, in penitentiary facilities and custody suites. Schools and institutions in penitentiary facilities and custody suites operate as part of their structures. 

The legislation also reserves some school-administering powers for ministers who are not listed above. Ministers referred to in the regulations on the Classification of Occupations for Vocational Education may establish and administer public vocational schools, continuing education centres and vocational training centres which provide education and training only for the occupations that fall within the remit of the minister concerned.

The minister responsible for internal affairs (Minister of the Internal Affairs and Administration) supervises the State Fire Service and thus is the only body that can establish and administer schools providing programmes for the occupation of Fire Service Technician (currently, there are 3 schools of this type). The minister may also establish and administer public sectoral skills centres to carry out activities in the vocational areas (listed in the relevant regulations) to which the Classification of Occupations for Vocational Education assigns at least one occupation that falls within the remit of the minister responsible for internal affairs.

The Minister of National Defence has supervisory powers regarding so-called military training classes in mainstream schools administered by various bodies, mainly local government units. The minister can also establish and administer public nursery schools, schools and other public educational institutions (currently, 2 nursery schools at military units, and 2 general secondary schools providing programmes in areas relevant to the Polish Army: aviation and computer science).

Higher education

Matters relating to the development of science, the training of students and doctoral students, and the functioning of higher education institutions (HEIs) fall within the remit of the minister responsible for higher education (since 1 January 2024 the Minister of Science and Higher Education).

The following main units support the Minister:

• Office of the Director General

• Minister’s Office

• Department Strategic Analysis and Promotion of Science

• Budget and Finance Department

• Innovation and Development Department

• Communication Department

• Inspection and Audit Department

• Science Department 

• Department for the Organisation of HEIs, Teaching and Student Matters 

• Legal Department

• Department of Research and Investment Programmes

• International Cooperation Department

• Minister’s Policy Cabinet

Additionally, the following ministers supervise specific types of HEIs:

• the minister responsible for national defence: military HEIs;

• the minister responsible for internal affairs: government service HEIs;

• the minister responsible for culture and national heritage: HEIs of art studies;

• the minister responsible for health: medical HEIs;

• the minister responsible for maritime economy: maritime HEIs.

Responsibilities and powers of the minister in charge of higher education

The minister supervises the activities of HEIs in respect of their compliance with the law and their statutes, permits granted for the establishment of non-public HEIs, and proper use of public funds. The minister may request information and clarification from the governing bodies of an HEI and the founder of a non-public HEI, and may conduct inspections of HEIs.

By regulation, the minister responsible for higher education:

• establishes public non-university HEIs or changes their names;

• incorporates a public non-university HEI or research institute into a public higher education institution;

• closes non-university HEIs;

• restricts or suspends, on a temporary basis, activities of HEIs in the entire territory of the country or its parts in extraordinary circumstances that may pose a threat to the lives or health of academic community members. 

The minister also regulates, in particular, the following key aspects of higher education:

Organisational aspects

• arrangements to ensure safety and hygiene for work and education in HEIs;

Funding for education and research

• cost indices for full-time degree programmes in individual disciplines, and for research activity in individual disciplines.

Degree programmes

• standards for initial education of doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, biomedical analysts, physiotherapists, paramedics, veterinary surgeons, architects and teachers (the professions that are regulated in Poland);

• curriculum design requirements for degree programmes;

• the areas of study in which HEIs may provide only long-cycle programmes (as opposed to first-cycle programmes followed by second-cycle programmes);

• the range of information to be included in an application for a permit to establish a first-, second- or long-cycle programme, supporting documents and the procedure for the submission of applications;

• requirements for distance-learning classes, and the maximum number of ECTS credits to be earned by students for such classes;

Student progress records, certificates and diplomas/degrees

• the procedure for keeping study records, making duplicates and copies of such documents, and revising and changing personal data in such documents;

• elements to be included in a higher education diploma and a joint diploma, and the template for a Diploma Supplement;

• degrees (professional titles) equivalent to the degrees of Bachelor (licencjat and inżynier) and Master (magister and magister inżynier);

• elements to be included in certificates and diplomas (a certificate of completion of a non-degree postgraduate programme; a certificate of a chartered specialist and a chartered specialist-technologist, awarded upon completion of specialist programmes; doctoral and post-doctoral diplomas), and the procedure for issuing duplicates and copies of such diplomas;

• the level of, and payment procedure for, the fees for: the validation of documents to be used in legal transactions abroad; the issue of student academic transcripts; the issue of copies of higher education diplomas and Diploma Supplements and copies of higher education diplomas and Diploma Supplements in foreign languages;

Recognition of qualifications

• detailed arrangements for the recognition of qualifications awarded in other countries;

Quality evaluation

• criteria for programme evaluations and comprehensive evaluations (conducted in HEIs by the Polish Accreditation Committee), and the procedure and detailed criteria for the quality evaluation of education provided in doctoral schools (conducted by the Science Evaluation Committee); 

• the types of scientific and artistic achievements which are covered by an evaluation of research activity; definitions of a scientific monograph and scientific article; detailed criteria and procedure for the evaluation of achievements; the method for assigning a research category/rating; and the procedure for evaluation of research activity; 

Disciplinary liability of academic staff and students

• detailed arrangements for mediation, enquiry and disciplinary proceedings in disciplinary liability cases concerning academic staff, and for enquiry and disciplinary proceedings concerning students; the procedure for administering and erasing disciplinary penalties; 

Other aspects, including: 

• the level of the fee for student admission;

• the procedure for the calculation of the monthly per capita income in the family that entitles students to be granted a student credit, and the procedure for the submission of applications for a student credit;

• the salary level for the position of Professor (which provides the basis for the calculation of salaries for academic staff holding other positions, with the percentage rates set in the Law on Higher Education and Science); 

• the scope of, and the procedure for, conducting a health assessment to establish whether an academic teacher should refrain from work due to his/her health condition, and to prescribe medical treatment and the duration of such a treatment. 

The minister supervises federations of HEIs. This includes establishing, dissolving, changing the composition and the name of a federation of HEIs.

Other bodies in higher education

The bodies described below operate in accordance with the Act of 20 July 2018, The Law on Higher Education and Science (Ustawa z dnia 20 lipca 2018 r. – Prawo o szkolnictwie wyższym i nauce), which defines their main powers and responsibilities. 

The Council of Scientific Excellence (CSE) (Rada Doskonałości Naukowej) (the website available in Polish only) aims to foster the development of research staff in line with the highest quality standards of research required to obtain doctoral and post-doctoral degrees (doktor and doktor habilitowany respectively) in science and fine arts and the title of professor (profesor). With regard to its proceedings, the CSE performs the function of a government administration body. To become its member, candidates should have an impeccable reputation, at least a post-doctoral degree and significant research achievements. The CSE is composed of 3 representatives of each scientific and artistic discipline. 

As part of its responsibilities, the CSE:

• conducts proceedings as part of the process for the award of post-doctoral degrees;

• considers complaints about refusals to initiate the proceedings for the award a doctoral degree and refusals to admit candidates to the defence of a doctoral thesis, appeals against decisions refusing the award of a doctoral degree, and appeals against decisions refusing to award a post-doctoral degree;

• reviews decisions awarding equivalent qualifications;

• considers requests for the shortening of the period for reapplying for the initiation of the proceedings for the award of a post-doctoral degree (doktor habilitowany); 

• conducts proceedings as part of the process for the award of the title of professor;

• supervises entities which conduct proceedings leading to the award of doctoral and post-doctoral degrees with regard to their compliance with the legislation;

• gives opinions on other matters raised by the minister responsible for higher education and science;

• puts forward candidates for, and appoints, reviewers: the number of candidates is at least three times higher than the number of reviewers to be appointed by the CSE for a given task; subsequently, reviewers are selected by drawing lots.

The General Council for Science and Higher Education (Rada Główna Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego) (the website available in Polish only) is an elective representative body of the science and higher education community. It cooperates with the Minister of Science and Higher Education and other public authorities in developing national policies for higher education, science and innovation. In particular, the Council:

• is guided in its work by the principles of reliability and impartiality and a sense of social responsibility;
• collaborates with the public authorities in the area of national science policy;
• gives its opinions to the public authorities on the following matters:
  • the principles of operation and directions of development of the higher education and science system, the management of higher education institutions, and matters relating to students, doctoral students and academic and research staff;
  • the higher education and science section of a draft State budget;
  • draft legislation concerning the higher education and science system;
• expresses, on its own initiative, opinions on matters relating to higher education, science, culture and school education. 

The Polish Accreditation Committee (PAC) (Polska Komisja Akredytacyjna, PKA) is an institution working for the improvement of the quality of education. Its activities cover all HEIs operating on the basis of the Law on Higher Education and Science. 

PAC presents to the minister:

• opinions on the entry of non-public HEIs onto the register;

• opinions on other matters raised by the minister responsible for higher education;

• opinions on the compliance of HEIs with the requirements for the provision of degree programmes and their links with the strategies of HEIs;

and

• resolutions/decisions on outcomes of programme evaluations;

• resolutions/decisions on outcomes of comprehensive evaluations.

PAC cooperates with national and international organisations involved in quality evaluation of education and accreditation. It takes decisions to conduct or not to conduct comprehensive evaluations, considering outcomes of its programme evaluations. For further details about PAC, see Chapter 10 ‘Quality assurance’.

University-type HEIs may establish the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (Konferencja Rektorów Akademickich Szkół Polskich). Non-university HEIs may establish the Conference of Rectors of Public Higher Vocational Education Institutions (Konferencja Rektorów Publicznych Uczelni Zawodowych) for public non-university HEIs. The Conferences are supervised by the minister responsible for higher education and science. There are also regional and sectoral conferences of rectors. 

The Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (Narodowa Agencja Wymiany Akademickiej, NAWA) is responsible for matters related to the mobility of students, doctoral students and higher education staff. The Agency has the following responsibilities:

• establish a set of programmes supporting outward and inward mobility of students, including doctoral students, and academic staff;

• implement programmes supporting the return of Polish researchers to the country;

• develop a financial mechanism to support mobility (for example, scholarships, funding to cover or contribute towards the costs of education or subsistence);

• launch projects to support HEIs in improving the quality of degree programmes offered;

• undertake broadly understood information and promotion activities concerning Polish higher education;

• promote the learning and knowledge of the Polish language abroad.

Representative bodies of the higher education and science community also include the Students’ Parliament of the Republic of Poland (Parliament Studentów Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej), and the Polish National Association of Doctoral Candidates (Krajowa Reprezentacja Doktorantów) (the website in Polish only). 

In devising national science policies, the minister is supported by the Science Policy Committee (Komitet Polityki Naukowej) (the website in Polish only). The Committee reviews the implementation of the national research policy and prepares evaluation reports, position papers, opinions and other papers and reports for the ministry in charge of higher education and science. It  can also propose, on its own initiative, arrangements for the higher education and science system and legislative acts concerning national science policy.

Education administration at regional level

The regional level in Poland is the level of province or voivodship (województwo). There are currently 16 provinces or voivodships.

Heads of the regional education authorities: pedagogical supervision

The Head of the Regional Education Authorities (REA) (kurator oświaty) exercises pedagogical supervision over school education institutions at regional level. The minister responsible for school education appoints and dismisses the Head of the REA at the request of the province governor (wojewoda). Thus, this position is part of the central government structure. Heads of the REAs are not directly subordinated to the minister. However, the minister has influence on the outcome of a competition for the position of Head of the REA as he/she appoints three members of the competition board, and may also dismiss the Head of the REA on his/her own initiative. Moreover, the minister supervises Heads of the REAs and coordinates their work in various ways (for example, by organising meetings, training courses and conferences, and administering the online pedagogical supervision platform). 

Pursuant to the School Education Act of 7 September 1991 (ustawa o systemie oświaty z dnia 7 września 1991 r.), the Head of the REA, acting on behalf of the province governor, performs tasks and exercises powers within a given province, as laid down in the Act and separate regulations. In particular, the Head of the REA:

• exercises pedagogical supervision over public and non-public nursery schools and other preschool education settings, schools and other educational institutions, and colleges of social work which operate in a given province;

• implements the national educational policy, and cooperates with local government bodies in the development and implementation of local and regional educational policies consistent with the national policy;

• gives opinions on so-called organisational sheets of public schools and educational institutions, except those administered by the competent ministers, with regard to their compliance with legislation (the bodies administering schools and institutions submit organisational sheets before they are approved);

• gives opinions on work plans of public in-service teacher training institutions, except those administered by the ministers responsible for school education, culture and protection of national heritage, agriculture, and health;

• gives opinions on networks of public schools administered by local government units (communes and districts) with regard to their compliance with the requirements set in the legislation;

• gives opinions on the liquidation of public schools;

• develops programmes for the use of funds for in-service teacher training from the regional (province governor’s) budget;

• organises contests and competitions for pupils and other forms of competition for pupils and presentation of their achievements, in a given region;

• analyses teachers’ in-service training needs and initiates and coordinates teacher training activities;

• supports activities related to the conduct of tests and exams in schools;

• cooperates with local government bodies in the development of facilities at schools and educational institutions;

• cooperates with the relevant bodies, various organisations and institutions in matters related to the development of children and young people;

• coordinates, supports and supervises the organisation of leisure activities for children and young people during summer and winter holidays in a given region.

At the request of the Head of the REA, the province governor can establish REA branches for individual areas of the region. The Head of the REA defines the powers of the head of a branch.

Local government bodies at regional level

The next chapter describes in greater detail general powers and responsibilities of local government units (LGUs), including those at regional level (as there are both local government and central government bodies at this level). It should be emphasised, however, that given the fairly extensive organisational autonomy of schools and other educational institutions, the powers of LGUs (communes and districts) as so-called school/institution administering bodies include supervision over organisational units of the school education system with regard to financial and administrative aspects (proper school management). They also monitor the use of public funds by non-public schools.

LGUs at regional (province) level do not perform typical school-education tasks. However, they are responsible for administering some educational institutions that have a supporting role. These include:

• in-service teacher training institutions,

• educational resources centres, and

• schools and educational institutions operating at regional and supra-regional levels.